sleeping bag vs wrapping?

[Lewis's Mummy]

What are other people's experiences? I've bought a Grobag for DS but he doesn't seem to sleep very well in it at all... he's getting too big for most wraps you can buy so I'd started using cot sheets instead and then bought the bag, thinking that in winter it would be a great option, but now I'm not so sure... half way through his sleep today I gave up and wrapped him again because he just wouldn't settle in the Grobag. Have I wasted $85?

[Olive]

every bub is different, sophie was in one at 10 weeks and has slept in one EVERY night since!! perhaps start wrapping with one arm out for a few nights and see how he goes!

[~Kim~]

I wrapped Darcy until she was 7 months old. Like you, I didn't have much luck with the bags. I did buy a cheapy sleeping bag to see if she'd take to that, but she hated the way it restricted her legs and would fight the entire time it was on. It was easier to just wrap her arms. At least she settled well like that. I made 2 or 3 HUGE wraps from a metre and a half each of muslin and we used that for ages. Less stiff than cot sheets which I originally used too.

When she was able to escape those I went to a Sungtime sleeping suit for winter. It has legs and she still is in one.
That doesn't really help does it? Sorry.

[Beach Mama]

He might get used to it in time.... I guess it is like when you stop wrapping, they need time to get used to that feeling. Seeing that he is nearly 5mths and probably close to or already rolling you will probably need to think about not wrapping when he rolls anyway so I would keep trying with the sleeping bag.

Iz has slept in one since 8 weeks- every night since unless it has been hot overnight and sleeps in it for day sleeps too now that it is winter. She rolls quite a bit and also sleeps on her tummy and has no trouble moving around. I know this goes again "bag" regulations but we have always used blankets on top of the bag in winter... maybe that would make him feel more secure, if he is in the bag and then you tuck in tightly over the top with a sheet?? We have cold nights here in Melbourne and our house gets cold, so Izzy has a polar fleece Bonds jumpsuit, socks, her 2.5TOG bag, plus 3 lightweight blankets over the top as well! Sounds like overkill but she has never been too hot overnight! Might be worth a shot and if you are worried about heat, just used a lightweight cotton/muslin wrap to tuck him in!
Good luck!

[Ezz]

I put DS in a polar-fleece sleeping bag at night, but I still wrap over the top. He won't sleep if his arms are free (he puts his hands in his mouth, which seems to stimulate him). DS has been rolling for a few weeks now, but I have continued with the wrapping with no problems - he can't roll with the wrap on anyway (especially with his big cloth nappies ). He grew out of the normal wraps when he was a couple of months old, so I wrap him in sarongs instead (more lightweight than cot sheets). He is 9.5kg & fits fine in most sarongs.

My long term plan is to stop wrapping when he has more control of his arms & more consistently able to replace his dummy when he pulls it out (I'm told this is around 6 months?) When I do stop the wrapping, I plan to do it during the day first - and to just progressively loosen the wrap, rather than going 'cold turkey'.

[Ezz]

I put DS in a polar-fleece sleeping bag at night, but I still wrap over the top. He won't sleep if his arms are free (he puts his hands in his mouth, which seems to stimulate him). DS has been rolling for a few weeks now, but I have continued with the wrapping with no problems - he can't roll with the wrap on anyway (especially with his big cloth nappies ). He grew out of the normal wraps when he was a couple of months old, so I wrap him in sarongs instead (more lightweight than cot sheets). He is 9.5kg & fits fine in most sarongs.

My long term plan is to stop wrapping when he has more control of his arms & more consistently able to replace his dummy when he pulls it out (I'm told this is around 6 months?) When I do stop the wrapping, I plan to do it during the day first - and to just progressively loosen the wrap, rather than going 'cold turkey'.

[BhoysGirl]

I wrapped DS until he started getting himself out of the wrap each time, which was around 6 months. Then I switched to sleeping bags and love them, as does he. But they wouldn't have worked before he was ready to be unwrapped, cos he needed this security. My sister's little boy was the same, but he wanted to be wrapped until he was nearly 8 months old, but now sleeps in the grobags (and various other brands) really well.

[JordieC]

I found DD had a couple of unsettled slepps with no wrapping at around 5 months and now sleeps in her bag with no worries. Like anything it just takes time

[ShootingStar]

In the early days i use to sleep Jesse during the day unwrapped or in the grobag and then wrapped at night. Then slowly made the transition to him having the grobag at night and just blankets during the day.
I think the grobag or other sleeping bags to be a better option than the wrap as i know every time DS got his arms out of the wrap he would cry. Least with the grobag theyre use to having their arms out etc

[Lewis's Mummy]

Thanks everyone. I was figuring on starting the transition during day sleeps for a while, like I did when he went from basinette to cot. I might try again in a week or so - things have been generally unsettled over the last couple of weeks with us travelling and stuff, so no doubt it's all just too much at once.Thanks for the advice about really cold weather Tanstar! We have cold too and our house only has a split system rc air con in the living area and nothing in the bedrooms... we've bought a thermostat controlled thing for DS's room, so at least it's not absolutely freezing when I go in to feed him, but I still worry about him being cold. Gotta love all these learning curves of motherhood!

[*Elle*]

I h ad to wrap DD for months and then I felt it was just getting to hard as she was getting bigger, I think I stopped only about 2 months ago and she is now 9 months, it took a little while if just gradually not wrapping her as tight then not as much ie leaving her arms out, now she leeps happily in a sleeping bag and sleeps very well, I think give it some time and just do it gradually taht way he will just get use to it kwim

good luck